Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Gina Sansonia. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Gina , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What sort of legacy are you hoping to build. What do you think people will say about you after you are gone, what do you hope to be remembered for?

In life, we all aspire for greatness, but since Cucina Bambina was my first business venture, my outlook and takeaway is completely different. I hope to be an inspiration to my family, friends & peers as someone who did what I wanted and did it on my terms. I’ve learned that no matter what happens in life, you can always wake up & try again, even if it’s something completely different than what you’re currently doing. I’ve had some expensive life lessons, but that has made me stronger and better as a result.

I’m hopeful Cucina Bambina is remembered as an authentic & nostalgic experience that evoked a memory for someone. I think the people who know me, my food and my drive are what matters. Since the culinary field is my second career, I know I’m going to continue to evolve as a Chef & go onto create new things. In essence, I AM THE BAMBINA, so that will follow me wherever I go.

Gina , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Despite popular belief, cooking is my second career. In addition to having my culinary degree, I also have my AA & BA/MS in Criminal Justice. Before entering the culinary world, I was living in Bayside, Queens, working in NYC & checking off all those “boxes” I had created for myself. While I was busy making plans, God had a completely different path that was unknown to me. My father grew increasingly ill & he succumbed to cancer at age 58. Until you lose someone you love & see the light disappear from their eyes, you’ll never understand. It immediately makes you look at life differently.

I grew up in an Italian/American household & food was the immediate focus of everything. Both my parents were food aficionados, but I was raised to believe food was a part of our culture, not a career. Both my parents had professions, the word entrepreneur was never used in my household or even entertained as a possibility. In essence, the unattainable.

After grieving the loss of my father, I too became ill and began looking at life differently. The superficial things that once motivated me lost their luster. I made the decision for my mental health, sanity & soul that I needed to not only move, but change what I was doing. I had attained what I wanted on paper and was good at it, but I wasn’t fulfilled.

After narrowing down culinary schools, I made the plan to enroll in Le Cordon Bleu in South Florida. I never lived anywhere except New York, so I figured why not completely throw out the rule book & try new experiences. After culinary school I worked in various food establishments ranging from fine dining (Milos Miami), gastropubs (Rok BRG), hotels (Delano) to name a few, but one big thing that bothered me was that I couldn’t interact with the people I was cooking for. I couldn’t see their reaction or see their genuine response to my food, which got me thinking about what I wanted to do. I came up with a plan that I wanted to start my own mobile food concept, so I could be out in the sunshine, seeing my guests, and creating an experience.

I began my research. I started attending food truck events as a patron. I made a great friend “Lobster Bob” who had a lobster trailer serving Maine lobster rolls. I asked him if I could “stage” a shift on his truck to see how he did things. He immediately agreed; who would say no to free labor? It ended up being a great match & I began working on his truck regularly as mine was being built. Lobster man had no culinary background, but was a well versed business man with multiple successful businesses. He knew all the contacts in the circuits, and I could pump out food. It was a match made in heaven. We rocked out & are still great friends today.

When I began my journey with Cucina Bambina a lot of people told me Italian food wouldn’t work in South Florida. I was still stuck with a New York mentality of what I liked, but the demographic and climate was completely different. Regardless of tweaking the menu, I knew I wanted to create a whimsical experience for people. My fondest childhood memories are the old school San Gennaro days & the novelty of eating out because for me that was a rare indulgence growing up.

I tapped into those memories that made me love my childhood and food. This is how I started doing the Italian Festivals and rice balls. As time went on I added my extra virgin olive oil line, and I just continued to grow over time. This was the evolution of “Italian Fusion” – I began taking dishes & putting my own spin on it. The response has been mixed, but I’m ok with that. You either get me or you don’t.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I think the ability to pivot is extremely important for a Chef. You have to be strong willed and stare adversity in the face. Being able to adapt, knowing when to switch things up, and making whatever sacrifices needed is what separates people in this business. I pivot on a daily basis; After a while it just becomes part of the dance. I think the biggest differentiator is how you approach it. I try to make it fun for me, my guests and as a welcomed challenge.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

My approach to growing my clientele probably wouldn’t be viewed as the most business savvy, however, I’ve worked really hard to nurture my relationships. A lot of businesses have a budget for publicists, pay for followers and have elaborate marketing strategies. Since I’ve done everything myself I’ve had to take a more cost effective approach. Call me Old School, but I always try to give the best value to guests in order to solidify the relationship. My approach has been that you need to “give a little… to get a little”. If I’m being honest, I would say it’s probably backfired half of the time due to people confusing my kindness for weakness. On the other hand, the relationships I HAVE developed with this approach have been life changing. The growth of my client base has been developed through social media, word of mouth, my reputation & integrity, so I’m ok with that.

A common thing I’ve heard over the years (especially when starting my business) is that “It’s just business, it’s not personal”. I LOATHE this expression; I refuse to accept it. The way I think about it is, if my blood, sweat and tears aren’t personal then what is? I think what separates me from many is that I treat my clients like family. I’ve been serving some families since their inception, and I’m forever grateful that my food can be part of their family’s milestones. The people and the experiences I have are tangible, and I hold them close to my heart.

In life – my biggest aspiration is to be a good person, put out great food, and to treat others as I would like to be treated. The basic fundamentals we learned as children is what helps develop those unbreakable relationships in life as well as business.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://shoutoutmiami.com/meet-gina-sansonia-executive-chef-owner-cucina-bambina-inc/
• Instagram: Cucina Bambina Inc
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/CucinaBambinaInc/
• Twitter: @CucinaBambina
• Yelp: https://m.yelp.com/biz/cucina-bambina-fort-lauderdale